by Olivier Acuña Barba •Revealed: July 31, 2025•20:38•2 minutes learn
Belgian retailers complain of unfair practices by on-line platforms promoting low-cost “Chinese language junk” | Credit score: Artgraphy/Shutterstock
In line with a information report, on-line platforms are rising quickly, with the competitors they characterize more and more unsustainable from Belgian excessive road retailers, significantly from ultra-low-cost Chinese language platforms Shein and Temu.
Belgian retailers have expressed dissent over earlier gross sales this summer time season, Belga Information Company I wrote it.
Summer time gross sales happen yearly all through July. Belgian retailers are permitted to supply giant reductions all through the 31 days, and usually are not usually allowed for the remainder of the 12 months.
A survey by Enterprise Federation Unizo and Mode UNIE, revealed Thursday, confirmed that 44.3% of trend retailers reported decrease gross sales in comparison with the identical interval final 12 months. As compared, 24.3% bought the identical factor, and 31.4% bought much more.
Malaise explains the July sale
“The warmth wave within the first week slowed gross sales, however then it obtained an enormous increase,” mentioned Isolde DeLangesche, director of Maud UNIE. “Revenues have been steady over the previous two weeks, permitting many retailers to get better low gross sales from the primary week.”
In line with Mode Unie, Belgians are nonetheless very “gross sales consumers” and stay up for looking bargains throughout this era.
NSZ is totally different. “For retailers, this month there is a phrase summed up: mal lazy,” the group mentioned. They declare that conventional pleasure about gross sales is waning.
“The fixed reductions from sure giant chains and on-line platforms make it harder for shoppers to visualise the precise worth,” mentioned NSZ spokesman Cedric Tack. “The idea of “honest worth” is declining. That is dangerous to retailers who cannot afford annual reductions. ”
“Chinese language junk” is one other problem
Mode Unie additionally raised considerations about what is known as unfair competitors from the digital giants. “The truth that the federal government has finished nothing to cease the net large’s unfair market practices is unclear for trend retailers and discourages them,” DeLange mentioned. “Such platforms don’t present value-added to our society. They addled us within the mountains of junk in China,” Delange mentioned, referring to Sheen and Tem.
“We should act rapidly and decisively to revive and preserve honest competitors between companies,” Delange mentioned. “It’s unacceptable that China’s on-line shops and main worldwide gamers usually are not following our legal guidelines and encourage overdose by deceptive gross sales ways.”
Mode Unie requested authorities to implement stricter controls to make sure Belgian retailers are now not deprived by what they name “unfair digital market practices.”
I do not assist commerce obstacles
Nevertheless, SME Minister Eleonore Simonette (MR), self-employed and small enterprise, mentioned, “As a liberal, she doesn’t assist commerce obstacles,” however admitted that China’s inflow was “disruptive” attributable to honest competitors, client safety and environmental impression.
However that goes past the issue that Chinese language platforms characterize. NSZ mentioned different points that drive shoppers away are elevated parking charges and the mobility of city centres.